RIRW – Chapter 174

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On the ninth day of the lunar month, the whole family drove to the provincial capital to visit the Li family at the university.

The car was a jeep provided by the provincial government, and it was packed with people. Shen Youyou loved going out with everyone and kept playing around with Chen Zhisen in the car.

His life now was much more comfortable than before. He had delicious food every day, and someone was always there to play with him and talk to him. Unlike in the past, when his parents were always busy and rarely seen, and his great-grandmother was always sewing shoe soles, leaving him to play by himself.

A life without companions was lonely. Clearly, he had now found someone he liked and who liked him back.

While playing with him, Chen Zhisen was also lost in thought, his smile warm and gentle. This made Zuo Dan feel somewhat uneasy. To be honest, she didn’t fully agree with how much affection her newly-acknowledged father was showing toward Shen Youyou. She was worried that such pampering might spoil Shen Youyou, turning him into a second-generation heir who brought trouble later, making her and Shen Yiming worry endlessly.

But then she thought, perhaps her father Chen was simply trying to make up for the regret of not raising a child for the past twenty years, and now wanted to experience that joy through Shen Youyou. With that, she felt a bit more understanding.

Thinking it over, she realized maybe there was no need to worry so much. After all, once they went to the capital, they wouldn’t see each other often. As long as she and Shen Yiming kept a close eye on things, it would be fine.

When they arrived at the provincial university, the family of elders and young ones all got out of the car.

Grandma no longer had to take care of children and looked quite relaxed as she led the way ahead. Chen Zhisen walked in the middle, holding Shen Youyou in one arm while leaning on his cane.

“Dad, let Yiming carry him. Or let him walk on his own—he should be learning to go up and down stairs by now,” Zuo Dan said, thinking stairs must be tough for him.

Chen Zhisen replied, “No need, I can still hold him with one arm. The doctor suggested I get more exercise anyway. This is good for me.”

Shen Youyou wobbled a little in his arms, seeming worried about falling, and clung tightly to his grandfather’s neck.

Zuo Dan and Shen Yiming walked behind them, ready to catch them if anything went wrong.

As soon as they reached the third floor, they heard voices in the hallway.

“Mom, Dad, the New Year is almost over, you should at least let Wenchang and me pay our respects.”

Zuo Dan’s mouth twitched when she heard the voice.

The family walked up the stairs and into the corridor, where they indeed saw Li Wenchang and his wife standing at the door. Li Wenchang didn’t say anything, but Guo Caiping was crying with both her voice and tears.

Noticing someone approaching, the couple turned to look.

When they saw who it was, both were stunned, staring blankly without reacting.

Chen Zhisen set the child down, held Shen Youyou’s hand, and smiled at them. “It’s been many years.”

“Chen Zhisen?” Li Wenchang stared at him in surprise, then said angrily, “What are you doing here? You’ve got some nerve showing up at our home!”

Zuo Dan spoke up, “Uncle, that’s not really appropriate to say. Grandpa already said you’re not welcome here. This isn’t your home.”

Li Wenchang’s face flushed red. “Dandan, what’s the matter with you? Don’t you know how much your mother suffered back then?”

“I do know how much my mom suffered. The problem is, Uncle, you don’t seem to know. That’s why after leaving the farm, you started drifting away from her,” Zuo Dan replied expressionlessly. She felt Li Wenchang was unbelievable—acting like he cared so much about her mother when he was actually the one who let her down the most.

Chen Zhisen smiled gently and said, “Wenchang, you shouldn’t speak to a child so harshly. Children are their parents’ treasures. Speaking like this is bound to upset them.”

Li Wenchang opened his mouth but said nothing.

Beside him, Guo Caiping had been in a daze for quite a while. She looked at Chen Zhisen as if dreaming. Then she glanced at his legs and muttered, “I didn’t expect… your legs ended up like this.”

Chen Zhisen finally looked at her and smiled. “My legs weren’t injured in a fall—they were hit. Why would you think they were from a fall?”

Zuo Dan and Shen Yiming exchanged a look.

Guo Caiping quickly replied, “I—I was just guessing. Chen Zhisen, why are you back?”

“The country’s reform and opening-up allowed us to return. It’s been many years. If you ever come to the capital, I’ll treat you well. For now, we’re going to the teacher’s house for a meal.” Chen Zhisen smiled faintly.

Guo Caiping instinctively stepped aside. Li Wenchang also lost his earlier confidence and silently moved out of the way.

Zuo Dan went to knock on the door. “Grandma, we’re here!”

Shen Youyou also ran over to knock. “Grandma, we’re here!”

Inside, Grandmother Li heard their voices and quickly came to open the door and let them in. As for Guo Caiping and Li Wenchang standing outside, she didn’t even glance at them.

Watching the door close in front of her, Guo Caiping still hadn’t recovered.

After more than twenty years, she had actually seen Chen Zhisen again. Although he had become disabled, he still had an unmistakable presence.

She remembered the first time she saw him. Back then, she was just the daughter of a dormitory manager. During the school’s opening season, she helped new students find their way around campus.

Chen Zhisen had ridden in on a bicycle from outside, wearing a warm smile. His eyes lit up as if he had seen something wonderful—so dazzling that it was hard to look away.

She stood there on the street, foolishly watching him walk away, until she saw him riding his bicycle in circles around a girl. Only then did she realize he had noticed Professor Li’s daughter, Li Hui. Unfortunately, back then, Li Hui didn’t even glance at him, walking with her head down, hugging her books tightly.

Chen Zhisen got off his bike and pushed it alongside her, smiling as he tried to make conversation with Li Hui. Gradually, the two of them walked farther and farther away together.

Later, through quiet inquiries, she learned that the man was named Chen Zhisen. He had just come to the provincial university for further studies. In fact, he had already graduated from Beijing University and had come here for advanced studies. He was working as a teaching assistant while continuing his education. Because he was a top student from Beijing University, several professors competed to take him in. In the end, he chose to study under Professor Li.

At the university, wherever Chen Zhisen was, a crowd always followed. Whether playing basketball or giving speeches, he always drew attention. At that time, many people liked him, but he didn’t respond to any of them. She herself was a well-known beauty at the school and had shown her affection in front of him. However, because of her background, Chen Zhisen never gave her a second glance.

“Caiping, what are you thinking about?” Li Wenchang stood there for a while. Seeing the door hadn’t been opened, he began to lose patience. He was ready to take Guo Caiping home, but she hadn’t responded at all.

Guo Caiping snapped out of her memories and said calmly, “Nothing. Let’s go back first.”

Li Wenchang took the lead downstairs. As Guo Caiping followed, she glanced once at the Li family’s main door before walking away with him.

As they descended, Li Wenchang grumbled, “Our parents would rather let Chen Zhisen in than us. What are they thinking? Is it just because he’s doing well now, they’ve forgotten what happened in the past?”

Guo Caiping pursed her lips. “Enough. Our parents don’t hold grudges over the past, so what are you fussing about? From what I see, if Chen Zhisen is with Dandan and the others, it probably means he already knows Dandan’s background.”

“Probably. Just now he even shielded Dandan in front of me. Hmph, that Dandan is so ungrateful. After all, Chen Zhisen abandoned her mother, and she’s now accepting him as her father! Yet toward me, her poor uncle, she shows no respect!”

“Well, maybe it’s for the best. I’ve heard a lot of returned overseas Chinese are doing well these days. If Dandan and Xiaohui can rely on him in the future, that’s not bad. Having him as a brother-in-law is surely better than Zuo Dacheng,” Guo Caiping said with a smile.

“That’s being spineless!” Li Wenchang said angrily.

Guo Caiping’s expression turned cold. “This is ultimately something between Xiaohui and her mother. As her older brother, you don’t need to worry about it. We’re all relatives—don’t hurt the family bond.”

Li Wenchang didn’t say anything more. If even his parents didn’t blame Chen Zhisen anymore, what right did he have to interfere? Still, he couldn’t help but feel upset. His parents didn’t mind Chen Zhisen, but they were harsh with him, their own son—they wouldn’t even let him inside the house.

Meanwhile, the Li family had started dinner.

Zuo Dacheng had already gone back, so only Li Hui, Zuo Cong, and the elders Li remained, along with the Shen family and Chen Zhisen.

Around the table, it was almost like several generations gathered together.

Chen Zhisen and Shen Yiming shared a couple of drinks with Grandfather Li. Delighted, Grandfather Li asked Chen Zhisen about foreign affairs. When Chen Zhisen spoke of how powerful capitalists held sway abroad, Grandfather Li sighed, saying socialism was still better—only under the rule of the proletariat could the interests of the working class be protected.

Chen Zhisen said, “The situation in America is quite different from ours. Their history is very short, especially for white people. They’ve rarely been oppressed, so their awareness of freedom and equality is strong. Even if big capitalists are in power, they still have to look after the common people’s interests—or face a collective backlash.”

Grandfather Li nodded in agreement, then turned to Shen Yiming. “Yiming, what do you think about the country’s future?”

Shen Yiming replied, “Our political system is fundamentally sound. The current reforms, I think, are a deeper exploration to improve the system. I believe these reforms are a great step forward.”

“So you’re a firm supporter of reform?” Grandfather Li smiled. “I’ve heard that even though reforms are underway, many old comrades oppose them. It’s only thanks to strong leadership that these changes are happening. Who knows? Maybe conservatives will try to make a comeback in the future.”

Shen Yiming said firmly, “For a country to develop, reform is essential. No matter what, I will always stand by it.”

Chen Zhisen praised him, “That’s a good stance. In some matters, like reform, you need to be flexible—but your core principles must remain firm. Since you’re planning to enter politics, your position must be unwavering.”

Grandmother Li saw that they were so caught up in talking that they hadn’t even touched their food and urged, “Alright, enough chatting. Time to eat.”

Grandfather Li chuckled, “Once they head to the capital, I won’t have a chance to chat with them anymore. Let me enjoy this while I can.”

Chen Zhisen laughed and said, “I saw Wenchang outside just now. Did he upset you?”

“Hmph, don’t even mention that unfilial son!” Grandfather Li’s expression immediately darkened.

Chen Zhisen didn’t press further. Smiling, he raised his glass and said, “I’ve upset my teacher. Let me punish myself with a drink.”

Grandfather Li sighed, “You’re not in the best health, don’t drink too much. As for Wenchang, I’ll let Dandan explain it to you later. I don’t want to talk about him anymore.”

After the meal, Grandfather Li pulled Shen Yiming and Chen Zhisen into the study for more conversation. Zuo Cong, who studied physics, didn’t understand what they were talking about, so he didn’t bother joining. Instead, he distractedly played with Shen Youyou in his arms.

Zuo Dan asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

“Sister, will you still be my sister in the future?” Zuo Cong looked at her with worry.

Zuo Dan rolled her eyes and tapped his forehead. “What are you thinking? Even Dad isn’t overthinking things, and here you are overanalyzing. If I’m not your sister, then whose sister am I? Dad raised me—that makes him my dad. Besides, we came from the same womb. Do you really need to rely on that tiny bit of blood relationship to recognize me as your sister?”

“No, no, I just worry that after you find other relatives, you’ll grow distant from me,” Zuo Cong said anxiously.

Zuo Dan chuckled, “You’re worried about me? After I get married, I’ll still treat you the same. I’ve heard plenty of stories about people who forget their sisters once they get a wife—who knows which of us will grow distant?”

Zuo Cong’s face turned red. “Sister, don’t say stuff like that. I haven’t even found someone yet.”

“Alright, alright. Hurry up and find someone, so Mom and Dad can have grandkids soon,” Zuo Dan teased.

Zuo Cong’s face turned even redder. Where could he find a girlfriend? The girls in his class only ever talked to him about academics, and after a few conversations, they’d stop talking to him altogether. Clearly, none of them liked him.

After dinner that evening, Chen Zhisen left the Li residence together with the Shen family.

On the way, Zuo Dan talked to Chen Zhisen about Li Wenchang and his wife.

Chen Zhisen responded thoughtfully, “I never really approved of their marriage from the start. Wenchang was very fond of her, so I didn’t express my opinion. I just didn’t expect Guo Caiping’s character to be this extreme.”

Zuo Dan said, “Dad, today when I heard her talking about your leg, I started to have some suspicions.”

She wasn’t being overly paranoid—Guo Caiping had too many prior incidents. If she were to suspect someone of deliberately causing the events of that year, Guo Caiping would be her number one suspect.

Chen Zhisen waved his hand with a smile, “Don’t worry about it. You and Yiming focus on your studies. No need to be distracted by elders’ matters. Your father isn’t so useless that he needs his daughter to worry for him. I know what I’m doing.”

Hearing that, Zuo Dan recalled Chen Zhisen’s means and knew he indeed didn’t need her to intervene.

When they got home, Chen Zhisen called Xiao Qiu to discuss something. Zuo Dan didn’t know what was said, and she didn’t ask. Since he could handle it, she left it to him and started packing up to leave.

She felt it would be hard to return again soon. After all, with a family in tow and studies to keep up with during breaks, she might even be assigned school duties during holidays.

Since school was starting on the 13th, Zuo Dan and Shen Yiming decided to depart on the 11th. They’d arrive on the 13th, register, and still have time to celebrate the Lantern Festival at home.

They had no choice—too many things had happened during this visit, and time was tight. There wasn’t even time to rest properly before leaving.

Chen Zhisen didn’t object at all. He was actually quite busy in Beijing City, but this time, he wanted to be willful just once and travel back with his family. So he ignored the pressure from over there and stayed till now.

Early on the morning of the 11th, the family locked the door and headed to the train station. Li Hui and her parents came to see them off. Li Hui hugged her son, daughter, and grandson tightly, reluctant to part.

When it was Chen Zhisen’s turn, she smiled calmly. “Come back and visit when you have time.”

Chen Zhisen nodded with ease. “Alright. You’re welcome in Beijing City too.” He seemed to have long since let everything go, light and breezy. But after boarding the train, he stared dazedly through the window at the platform.

Only when the train left the station did he pull back his gaze and started playing with building blocks with Shen Youyou.

Zuo Dan said, “Dad, let me take care of Shen Youyou. You should get some rest.”

“No need. I can’t sleep.” Chen Zhisen smiled.

How could he possibly sleep? He had come here anxious and hopeless, but now he was returning with his daughter and grandson.

Though he had lost the one he loved forever, there was still the chance to meet again in another way. He was content.

This was good.

In the adjacent sleeper compartment, Chen Pingping and Zuo Cong were chatting—more like Chen Pingping was talking and Zuo Cong was listening.

“Hey, I’m going to join your physics department soon. I wonder if your classmates are easy to get along with. Are there many girls over there? What’s the study atmosphere like?”

Zuo Cong replied, “Everyone loves studying. We enjoy discussing academic problems with each other.”

Chen Pingping laughed, “You’ve got such a good personality. I bet the girls like you a lot?”

“…Not really. It was okay at first, but after they interacted with me more and discussed academics more often, they didn’t want to talk to me anymore,” Zuo Cong said awkwardly.

Chen Pingping’s curiosity was immediately piqued. “What happened? Tell me. I’ll help you analyze what you might’ve done to offend them.”

Zuo Cong looked embarrassed. “I really don’t know. They used to come to me for academic questions, and I was happy to discuss them. After all, mutual learning helps improve grades. But every time a female classmate spends more than a week interacting with me, she stops talking to me altogether. Even when I greet them, they seem reluctant to respond. Once, I even overheard them saying I’m hard to get along with and… dumb…”

“…” Chen Pingping felt like she had just uncovered some unbelievable information.

Zuo Dan was so smart—how did she end up with such a pure, innocent little brother?

Along the journey, the big family was quite lively. Whenever she had free time, Zuo Dan would play chess with Shen Yiming—though she always lost.

After she lost two games, Chen Zhisen jumped in to coach her.

Shen Yiming said, “Dad, a true gentleman doesn’t speak while watching a game.”

Chen Zhisen replied, “I’m just tutoring my daughter.”

Zuo Dan giggled, “Shen Yiming, are you afraid you’ll lose to my dad?”

Shen Yiming chuckled, “Let’s continue.”

Two days later, the train arrived in Beijing City. Someone had already come to pick them up.

There were two cars—one for Zuo Dan’s group, one for Chen Zhisen’s. Before getting in, Chen Zhisen said, “It’s already warm here in Beijing City. I think living in a courtyard is more comfortable than a Western-style house. It’s more suitable for recovering my health.”

He glanced at Xiao Qiu.

Xiao Qiu immediately added, “Yes, that’s what the doctor recommended. But, Mr. Chen, we returned to the country a bit suddenly, and it’s not easy to find a good courtyard like that. It might take a while. Also, a courtyard house is quite spacious. If it’s just you and Miss Pingping living there, it might feel a bit too lonely. A courtyard is better for big families. If you stayed with Miss Dandan’s family, it would be just right.”

Chen Zhisen looked at Shen Yiming and Zuo Dan. “Sons-in-law usually don’t like living with their fathers-in-law.”

Zuo Dan: “…”

Shen Yiming’s mouth twitched.

In the end, Shen Yiming brought his father-in-law home with him.

Xiao Qiu and Chen Pingping went back to the small Western-style house to gather Chen Zhisen’s daily essentials.

Chen Zhisen said, “Yiming, sorry for disturbing you. I’ll move out once I find a place.”

“No need, Dad. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,” Shen Yiming replied with a smile.

“Thank you. I only have Dandan, my only daughter—I can only rely on you two.”

Zuo Dan cleared her throat. Could he stop making himself sound like a lonely old man?

“Dad… don’t worry. You’ll definitely be well taken care of in your old age. Don’t overthink.”

Chen Zhisen laughed, “People tend to worry more as they get older. I’m lucky you two are so filial. I’ll help take care of the children in the future—I’ll help raise and teach Youyou, so you two can focus entirely on your studies. As for your grandmother, I’ll arrange for someone to take good care of her. Her health needs proper nurturing too.”

Grandmother smiled and said, “That’s wonderful. I’ve been wanting to join the neighbors in practicing tai chi for a long time now.”

Zuo Dan and Shen Yiming exchanged a glance but remained silent.